An audacious thief visited a jewelers shop in Guildford, Surrey, recently, and in only 6 minutes helped himself to 16 gold and platinum rings – without detection. How? By making the most of current showcase designs that place aesthetics over reliable security.

Featured in a June SaferGems Alert, the incident was not unusual. The thief was merely exploiting common display case design flaws.

Showcase lock

Wall cabinet lock

As you can see from the author’s pictures (showing stand-alone and wall cabinet locks), large gaps between glass and frame allow for implements to be inserted – which is exactly what the Surrey thief exploited. The gap also means the bolt may not enter the keep deeply enough.

Professional criminals are recognising these design weaknesses and capitalising on them. Doors can be levered open, without risk of breaking the glass. And if executed as part of a distraction theft, the crime may not be recognised for many minutes, enabling the thieves to escape.

Medusa High Security Showcases are built differently. We set the glass door into a rebated metal frame, so there are no gaps for implements. And we rebate the bolts fully into keeps that we mould specially into the frame.

Professional criminals will soon recognise the Medusa logo, and realise our showcases cannot be manipulated or compromised using hand-tools, however quick, skillful or forceful they are.